Loaches and eels

[Babakapusta]

I'm setting up a new tank. I want to have an eel. Do you think I could put loaches into the tank with it. When I had my last eel it was badly cut when he swam into a pleco's dorsal fin. It was an accident. They weren't fighting. He nearly died. He also got a bad scratch from a cory cat that swiped him with his barbels.

I'm looking for some tank mates. Any suggestions will be helpful.

[DainBramage1991]

Specifically what kind of eel are you referring to? (name and species)

[Babakapusta]

I've had a tire track eel before and I'm looking at those or a black spotted eel. I'm really tempted to buy a fire eel but if it grew full size it would be too big for even my 125 gallon tank so I'm hoping I don't give into desire. They have a beautiful one for sale at the pet store. He is only about the size of a ball point pen but he is gorgeous.

So availability is a big issue for me. I've seen spiny eels for sale. I like rope fish and have had them before. I wanted dojo loaches but I think they are illegal in Illinois.

[Fishwife]

Spiny eels in general are all very prone to horrible bacterial and fungal infection from getting wounds. Even the wrong kind of substrate can hurt them and leave them open to infection. Your best bet is to have it in a tank without any mates with barbs spikes spines ect.. And be sure you have a very soft fine sand substrate so they do not tear themselves up burrowing in the substrate wich they love to do. My tiretracks love to have nothing but there nose and eyes poking out. They think nobody can see them

[Fishwife]

Mine are in with some geo's and a school of rope fish. And they get along wonderfully. The eels love to pile up with my ropefish like there one of the fam our fire eel is in with an angelfish at the moment who is his best friend lol. And also an elephantnose. They have been just fine cus the eel was a baby but he is growing fast and I'm going to have to move him pretty soon. He will prob go in with my red hump eartheaters. Geo's all seem to be great tankmates.

[oldtrout]

Hi, I have a lesser spiny tailed eel in with my clown loaches, and yoyo loaches and they love playing with waeach other. I also do have sand as a substrate however Bert (the eel) has never hidden away and is totally hand tame when I feed him. He is a real big though and will eat twice a day given half a chance loves his frozen blood worm and earth worms. Would love to get him some friends to play with but not sure if I would have issues introducing them or not

[oldtrout]

Sorry my phone loves to change what I actually type lol! Dam thing

[Fishwife]

It's true... Like many other combinations. It can work just fine for a long time for one person but go horribly wrong for the next. It's all based on weather or not you want to put the eel into a situation that could possibly cause a needless death. Be it now or five years from now. That's all I'm sayin.